Toy race track construction set

ABSTRACT

A toy race track construction set comprising a plurality of interconnectable track sections each having mutually cooperating supporting elements for itself and for adjacent sections so arranged and arrangeable as to enable the assembly of a plurality of the sections in an inclined end-to-end, superposed or angular relationship, or in any desired combination thereof, each section having a separate chute for each of a plurality of racing elements which are movable down said cooperating sections by gravity.

United States Patent Daniel F. Krause;

Arnold E. Brown, Nashville, Tenn. [21] Appl. No. 813,600

[22] Filed Apr. 4, 1969 [45] Patented Mar. 30, 1971 [73 Assignee Kusan, Inc.

Nashville, Tenn.

[72] Inventors [54] TOY RACE TRACK CONSTRUCTION SET 13 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl. 273/86, 46/29, 46/43 [51] Int. Cl. A63f9/14 [50] Field ofSearch 273/86, 86 (3), 120; 46/1 (K),43; 238/10, 10 (D) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,252,616 1/1918 Reif 46/43X 1,383,316 7/1921 Liebert ..(273/86(3)(UX) 1,714,433 5/1929 Molnar 46/43 2,838,870 6/1958 Morse 46/43 2,853,301 9/1958 Glass 273/86(3) 3,343,793 9/1967 Waser 273/86X FOREIGN PATENTS 311,277 6/1919 Germany 46/43 82,844 11/1953 Norway 46/1(K) Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Attorney-Raymond N. Matson ABSTRACT: A toy race track construction set comprising a plurality of interconnectable track sections each havingmutually cooperating supporting elements for itself and for adjacent sections so arranged and arrangeable as to enable the assembly of a plurality of the sections in an inclined end-toend, superposed or angular relationship, or in any desired combination thereof, each section having a separate chute for each of a plurality of racing elements which are movable down said cooperating sections by gravity.

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INVENTORS, 5 Daniel E Krouse 0 y Arnold E. Brown his Agent PATENTED mam I97! 3572113 sum 2 or 2 INVENTORS,

Dumel E Krouse by Arnold E.(Brovln his Agent TOY RACE TRACK CONSTRUCTION SET This invention relates generally to toys and more particularly to toy construction sets formed of parts having optional assembly arrangements so as to increase the interest of a child therein.

Toy construction sets of this general nature are known in the art but have not been fully satisfactory in that once a child has mastered the various assemblies possible, the play potential of the set is usually terminated.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction set susceptible of a plurality of novel assembly arrangements the accomplishment of any one of which is merely a prelude to exciting subsequent play therewith.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel toy race track construction set which is formed of one or more readily interconnectable, track sections which may be inclined and down which a plurality of racing elements may successively move by gravity, the discharge end of one section being positioned above the upper end of the next lower section or the finish gate.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an improved race track construction set formed of a plurality of cooperating sections which are provided with novel cooperating start and finish gates to ensure a fair start of a race and a clear indication as to the actual race winner.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide a novel race track construction set formed of a plurality of interconnectable track sections each having mutually cooperating, supporting elements for itself and for adjacent sections so arranged and arrangeable as to enable the assembly of a plurality of sections in an inclined end-to-end superposed or angular relationship, or in any desired combination thereof, each section having a separate chute for each of a plurality of racing elements which are movable down said cooperating sections by gravity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction set of the type described which will be simple to assemble and use, susceptible of ready and economic manufacture, and sturdy and of long life in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a plurality of race track sections assembled in end-to-end relationship showing the start to finish gates;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view to a reduced scale of a plurality of track sections assembled in both end-to-end and angular relationship;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view to an enlarged scale showing the manner of connecting the track sections in end-to-end relationship;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the lower end of a race track section showing the separate chutes for the racing elements;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof showing the start and finish gates and the separate chutes;

FIG. 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a connector for one or two pairs of supporting legs for the track sections; and

FIG. 8 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the toy race track construction set comprising the present invention includes one or more race track sections 10 (as shown in FIG. 1 starting with the lowest of three interconnected sections, l0a,l0b and 10c); means supporting each section in an inclined position regardless of its relative position with another section including lower, downturned double flanges 12, upper upstanding end and sidewall flanges l4 and 16 respectively, lower and upper double leg sockets 18 and 20 respectively, short and long extension legs in the form of dowels 22 and 24 receivable in the leg sockets, and double-socketed dowel connectors 26; a start gate 28; a finish gate 30; and racing elements 32.

It is to be noted that while each of the race track sections 10 is illustrated as being straight, each section may be curved or partly straight and partly curved as long as each track section's double leg sockets l8 and 20 may be positioned in vertical alignment when two or more sections are assembled. While the track sections, leg sockets and start and finish gates may be made of any desired material, they are preferably formed of a plastic such as high-impact styrene with the dowels being of wood. The racing elements 32 are preferably sealed plastic or gelatine capsules each containing a ball 33 preferably of steel so as to give them an end-over-end tumbling movement while passing down each inclined track section by gravity.

As shown in FIGS. 3-6 inclusive, each track section 10 is provided with a plurality of parallel, longitudinally extending, generally semicircular chutes 34 between the track sides 35, one for each of the racing elements 32 so as to avoid interference between them during a race and particularly during the start thereof. Once the racing elements have passed to the next lower track section by a free fall, it is a matter of pure chance as to which of the chutes thereof it will land in due to the tumbling movement of the capsule and the steel ball.

The track section sides 35 terminate at their upper ends in a wall 38 and include adjacent thereto a pair of spaced, upstanding flanges 16 which are in horizontal alignment so as to receive and securely support thereon the lower end, downturned flanges 12 of the next higher track section when positioned angularly thereto as indicated in FIG. 2. The upper end 38 of each track section 10 terminates in the upstanding end flange 14 as stated and is the support (as shown in FIG. 3)

for the downturned flanges 12 of the lower end of the next higher track section 10.

Each track section 10 is designed to cooperate with either a start or finish gate, or both as indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The uppermost of the flanges 16 are provided with apertures 40 in which the pivots 42 of the U-shaped starting gate 28 are mounted. The barrier section of the gate is laterally coextensive with the track section and includes a capsule-shaped opening 44 positioned over each chutes 34 in which the racing elements 32 are positioned prior to the start of the race. The race is started by rasing the start gate from the at rest position by either of lateral flanges 46 about the pivots 42 thus releasing the racing capsules for gravity descent of the section.

The finish gate 30 comprises a base 50 having sidewalls 52 and terminating at one end in semicircular walled recesses 54 which engage the lower leg sockets 18 to thus properly position the gate with respect to any track section 10. The finish gate is pivotally mounted in the sidewalls 52 by pivots 56 and includes an upstanding tn'p wall 57 and a barrier wall 58 which is supported in horizontal position by a downturned flange 59.

It will be apparent that the first of the racing elements 32 to reach the end of the bottommost track section 10 will fall onto the wall 58 and strike the trip wall 57 causing the counterclockwise pivoting of the finish gate as shown in dotted lines. The wall 58 and the flange 59 then become a barrier to the remaining racing elements and the winner is thus separated therefrom.

The toy race track construction set comprising the present invention may comprise a single track section 10 or a plurality thereof, a start gate 28, a finish gate 30, and an appropriate number of short and long dowels 22 and 24 in accordance with the number of sections involved as will be readily understood. By way of example, various ways of assembling a three-track-section construction set are illustrated in FIG. I and of a six-or-better track section construction set in FIG. 2.

The dowels 22 and 24 comprise detachable leg sections receivable in either or both of the upper and lower sockets 60 and 62 respectively of the leg sockets 18 and 20 and the dowel connectors 26. As seen in FIG. 1, the lower end of toy race track section 10a is supported by the leg sockets 18 which are engaged by the recesses 54 of the finish gate 30. The upper end of the track section 10a is supported by a pair of the short dowels 22 which are inserted into the lower sockets 62 of the leg sockets 20.

The lower end of the race track section b is supported by its flanges 12 on the upstanding end flange 14 as stated with the upper end supported by a pair of long dowels 24 which are inserted into the lower sockets 62 of the leg sockets 20. The lower end of the track section 10c is similarly supported as just described but the upper end, due to the inclination of the sections, requires added height giving support. Accordingly, as shown, the upper ends of long dowels 24 are inserted into the lower sockets 62 of the leg sockets 20, the lower dowel ends are inserted into the upper sockets 60 of a dowel connector 26, and a pair of short dowels 22 whose lower ends are inserted into the sockets 60 of a second connector 26 are inserted into the sockets 62 of the upper connector.

The three track sections 10a, 10b, and 10c are, of course, in alignment so that the race track as a whole is a straight course with the racing elements 32 experiencing a free drop in passing from the bottom of one section to the top of the next and the racing elements usually remain in the chute 34 in which they started. Two additional arrangements (and various combinations of all three) are readily arranged with this construction set.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the loweriend of one track section 10 is readily supportable on the side flanges 16 of track section 10d and angularly thereof while the upper end is supported as required by the necessary combination for height of short and long dowels 22 and 24 and connectors 26. Optionally as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, the track section 10c may be superposed over section 10b. This is readily accomplished by the use of a pair of short dowels 22 between socket 62 of leg socket 18 of track section 100 and socket 60 of leg socket 20 of section 10b with long dowels 24 inserted between socket 62 of leg socket 20 and socket 60 of leg socket 18 of section 10b. In this arrangement, the racing elements will have a free fall from the lower end of section 10c into the upper end of section 10b where they willhit the end wall 38 of the latter and be deflected 180 and down track section 10b. During this change of direction, the racing elements often change chutes and some interfere with the gravity movement of one another which adds to the interest and excitement of.

the race.

it will now be readily apparent that one or'a plurality of the track sections described may form a race track having start and finish gates for racing elements and that a plurality of such sections are connectable in superposed, end-to-end, or angular relationship and in many combinations of such relationships and that each section provides upper, lower, end, side, and detachable supporting means for adjacent sections all of which are readily connectable into any of many desired arrangements.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. A race track for racing elements comprising at least one track section; pairs of supporting socket legs fixed to said section at points spaced from its ends; each of said legs including upwardly and downwardly open sockets; and means for supporting said section in an inclined position for the downward movement therealong of racing elements by gravity comprising a pair of extension legs inserted into the downwardly open sockets of the upper socket legs.

2. The combination recited in claim 1; and means for supporting a second track section above said first section with the socket legs of each in vertical alignment comprising additional leg extensions extending from the upper socket of the socket legs of said lower section into the lower sockets of the socket legs of said upper section.

The com matron recited in claim 2 wherein the lower end of said second track section is positioned at a point spaced directly above the upper end of said first track section so as to ensure a free fall of the racing elements in passing from one said section to another.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said section has a downturned flange at its lower end, and an upturned flange at its upper end to support the lower end of a second track section, and additional leg extensions insertable in the lower sockets of the upper socket legs of said second track to maintain said second track in inclined position so as to discharge racing elements therefrom by gravity onto said first track.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said upturned flange is arranged transversely of said track to support the lower end of said second track in end-to-end relationship therewith.

6. The combination recitedvin claim 4 wherein said upturned flange is arranged longitudinally of said track to support the lower end of said second track in angular relationship therewith.

7. The combination recited in claim 4, and a leg brace having extension-leg-receiving sockets connecting said additional leg extension.

8. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein the lower end of said second track section is positioned at a point spaced directly above the upper end of said first track section so as to ensure a free fall of the racing elements in passing from one said section to another.

9. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track section includes a plurality of longitudinally extending chutes defining the path of the racing element.

10. The combination recited in claim 9; and a start gate pivoted to the elevated end of said Section and constructed and arranged in its at rest position to confine racing elements in said chutes and when raised to permit simultaneous movement thereof down the chutes by gravity.

11. The combination recited in claim 9; and a finish gate connected to the lower end of said section and having a wall pivotable by the first racing element down said chutes to bar passage of following racing elements to segregate the winner.

12. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said section has a downturned flange at its lower end, and an upturned flange adjacent its upper end to support the lower end of a second track section, and additional leg extensions insertable in the lower sockets of the upper socket legs of said second track to maintain said second track in inclined position so as to discharge racing elements therefrom by gravity onto said first track.

13. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said section has a downturned flange at its lower end, and an upturned flange intermediate its upper end to support the lower end of a second track section, and additional leg extensions insertable in the lower sockets of the upper sockets legs of said second track to maintain said second track in inclined position so as to discharge racing elements therefrom by gravity onto said first track. 

1. A race track for racing elements comprising at least one track section; pairs of supporting socket legs fixed to said section at points spaced from its ends; each of said legs including upwardly and downwardly open sockets; and means for supporting said section in an inclined position for the downward movement therealong of racing elements by gravity comprising a pair of extension legs inserted into the downwardly open sockets of the upper socket legs.
 2. The combination recited in claim 1; and means for supporting a second track section above said first section with the socket legs of each in vertical alignment comprising additional leg extensions extending from the upper socket of the socket legs of said lower section into the lower sockets of the socket legs of said upper section.
 3. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein the lower end of said second track section is positioned at a point spaced directly above the upper end of said first track section so as to ensure a free fall of the racing elements in passing from one said section to another.
 4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said section has a downturned flange at its lower end, and an upturned flange at its upper end to support the lower end of a second track section, and additional leg extensions insertable in the lower sockets of the upper socket legs of said second track to maintain said second track in inclined position so as to discharge racing elements therefrom by gravity onto said first track.
 5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said upturned flange is arranged transversely of said track to support the lower end of said second track in end-to-end relationship therewith.
 6. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said upturned flange is arranged longitudinally of said track to support the lower end of said second track in angular relationship therewith.
 7. The combination recited in claim 4, and a leg brace having extension-leg-receiving sockets connecting said additional leg extension.
 8. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein the lower end of said second track section is positioned at a point spaced directly above the upper end of said first track section so as to ensure a free fall of the racing elements in passing from one said section to another.
 9. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track section includes a plurality of longitudinally extending chutes defining the path of the racing element.
 10. The combination recited in claim 9; and a start gate pivoted to the elevated end of said section and constructed and arranged in its at rest position to confine racing elements in said chutes and when raised to permit simultaneous movement thereof down the chutes by gravity.
 11. The combination recited in claim 9; and a finish gate connected to the lower end of said section and having a wall pivotable by the first racing element down said chutes to bar passage of following racing elements to segregate the winner.
 12. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said section has a downturned flange at its lower end, and an upturned flange adjacent its Upper end to support the lower end of a second track section, and additional leg extensions insertable in the lower sockets of the upper socket legs of said second track to maintain said second track in inclined position so as to discharge racing elements therefrom by gravity onto said first track.
 13. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said section has a downturned flange at its lower end, and an upturned flange intermediate its upper end to support the lower end of a second track section, and additional leg extensions insertable in the lower sockets of the upper sockets legs of said second track to maintain said second track in inclined position so as to discharge racing elements therefrom by gravity onto said first track. 